Tamarak High school performance

Russian folk dancers Vitaly Verterich and Olga Chpitalnaya show to students
how to dance Russian folk move "PRISYADKI" (knee bendings) and "VERTUSHKA"
during performance in Tamarak High School, 3992 Rt. 2 Troy, New York

RUSSIAN DANCE

First official record of Russian dancing is related to year 907 when Great Russian Prince Oleg (Vechshiy Oleg) celebrated his victory over Greeks in Kiev. During the Gala Dinner 16 male dancers dressed as bears and four bears dressed as Russian dancers performed for the guests. After the dinner was over Great Prince commanded to release the bears into the wild and to execute all the dancers.

As it became clear later on, Vechshiy Oleg, who was purblind, has mistaken the dancers for the ambassadors from the Northern Tribes (Severyane) who owned him a few hundred skins of marten - Russian tiger-cat...
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This DVD is from live performance of Russian dance, song and music ensemble Barynya from the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in October 2006. PROGRAM: Russian, Gypsy, Cossack, Ukrainian traditional dances, folk and popular songs, virtuoso performances on musical instruments with explanation of the program in English. INSTRUMENTS: balalaika, garmoshka, contrabass, buben, Gypsy and classic guitars... more info, videoclips, order

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Father Frost and Snow Maiden are the most important characters of the New Year's celebration in Russia. Father Frost (Ded Moroz, Russian: Дед Мороз) plays a role similar to that of Santa Claus. The literal translation of the name would be "Grandfather Frost". However, English-speakers traditionally translate "DED MOROZ" as the alliterative "FATHER FROST". Ded Moroz is always accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka - Snow Maiden (Russian: Снегурочка).

New York based ensemble Barynya created a special Russian New Year's program with traditional Russian winter songs, dances and music: "In the forest a fir-tree was born" (V Lesu Rodilas' Yolochka), "Small Fir Tree is Freezing during the Winter" (Malen'koi Yolochke Kholdno Zimoy), "The snowstorm is blowing along the street" (Metelitsa), "Father Frost" (Moroz-Moroz), "Five minutes" (Pyat' Minut).